


Hold Your Horses

by FunnyFootsteps



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Horses, M/M, Pre-Relationship, mostly pre-timeskip but lil bit after it too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:33:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26868985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FunnyFootsteps/pseuds/FunnyFootsteps
Summary: Dimitri enjoys stable duty, Dedue doesn't. They make it work.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Dedue Molinaro
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	Hold Your Horses

The Professor had assigned Dimitri and Dedue for stable duty for the second week of Pegasus Moon. It was a beautiful day to work outside, and Garreg Mach monastery had several beautiful and well-bred horses. Stable duty was Dimitri’s favorite of group tasks.

Dedue followed him to the stables quietly as usual. The deep frown on his face made him look older than he was. 

Last week Dimitri had been plucking weeds with Felix. This week both the assignment and the company were much more enjoyable. With this assignment, the professor also had spared Dimitri from the kitchen duty this week too. The kitchen had an incredible amount of easily breakable objects, and while he knew the basics of cooking, as someone who couldn't taste, he could hardly excel at it. 

Dedue, on the other hand, would have preferred kitchen duty. Even when he was not scheduled for it, during his free time he was often helping around the kitchen anyway. He had saved the dining hall from Annette’s kitchen disasters more than once. 

Dimitri couldn't taste, but he could tell a lot of skill and effort went to Dedue’s cooking. He also was not oblivious to how during the years his friend had tried various dishes just to get a reaction out of him. Empty compliments wouldn’t fool him, so Dimitri had opted to say nothing at all. It would be a conversation for another day. Very awkward conversation. 

Besides disapproving him cooking for the prince at all, no one back at Fhridiad castle had ever said anything about Dedue’s cooking, but half of the Blue Lion house couldn't get enough of it. Even Sylvan had asked for cooking lessons for Dedue. That had been unexpected, but at least one of Dimitri’s old friends was getting along with Dedue. 

If Dedue was not at the kitchen, he was usually found tending the flowers at the greenhouse. Perhaps dragging his kind friend to the officers academy had not been the right choice. 

Dimitri led Dorte out of the stables. Dorte was a very calm animal, so he should be the easiest one to start with. He was also Marianne’s favourite horse which made him deserving of special attention. Meanwhile, Dedue gathered the bucket with grooming tools. 

He and Dimitri worked well together, there was just one recurring problem.

“Please take a rest, Your Highness. Allow me to take care of this.” Dedue said.

Dedue was right, he could use a rest, though. Dimitri had had too many sleepless nights in a row. He could never hide that from Dedue, no matter how he tried.

“I cannot allow it,” Dimitri said for what felt like the thousand time, “The two of us can take care of this quickly.”

The work really was quicker when work when divided between the two of them. Working together also was one of the skills the group tasks were meant to teach. That or the monastery just didn’t want to hire more stable hands. 

Dedue nodded in reluctant agreement. Despite having volunteered to do all the work, he was standing quite far away from Dorte, unsure how to approach the animal. Dimitri wondered if the horse was the reason why Dedue gave in so quickly. Usually, they went back and forth about the issue for much longer.

“To think that after all this time, you’d still be afraid of horses,” Dimitri noted.

“I am not afraid of horses.” Dedue kept his eyes on the horse as it could bite him at any moment. 

“If you say so,” Dimitri said, not convinced. 

Dedue placed the tool bucket on the ground carefully, far enough from Dorte so he couldn’t knock it over accidentally. Or on purpose. 

“Animals have never been fond of me,” Dedue said, looking at the bucket instead of Dimitri. 

He took curry combs from the bucket and handed one to Dimitri. Dimitri started combing the horse in small circular motions. He began from Dorte’s neck and worked his way down as Dedue watched.

“Many animals, horses in particular, can sense if you are nervous,” Dimitri said. 

“I am not nervous,” Dedue protested again, but he did try to relax his tense muscles.

Dimitri could see the hesitation in Dedue’s eyes as he started combing Dorte from the other side. He worked too fast, pressed the brush a little too hard. 

Dorte gave a disapproving little neigh, so Dimitri petted his head.

“Horses are very gentle animals. Just pet him a little. That should calm you both,” Dimitri suggested. 

Dedue reached out the hand that wasn’t holding the curry comb and gently touched Dorte’s head with the tips of his fingers. Dorte relaxed, and so did Dedue. He started petting the horse with a little more confidence. Dimitri watched Dedue’s large hands move in Dorte’s mane carefully. He had never been so jealous of a horse before. 

“There you go,” Dimitri praised “you're bonding with him.”

Dorte snorted and tossed his head suddenly, causing Dedue all but jump in surprise. He pulled his hand back and stepped away from the animal.

It was a process.

* * *

The professor had started assigning tasks for Dimitri again. 

He felt ashamed of how little he had contributed to their cause outside the battlefield. Dimitri tried not to dwell on it and just focus on the task at hand. He led Sylvain’s horse out of the stables. Dedue waited outside, carrying their supplies in a wooden bucket. 

Dimitri was unsure if the Professor had assigned him to stable duty with Dedue to give them more time together, or simply because it was convenient. Nonetheless, he was grateful. 

Dedue was a lot more comfortable with the task than he had been five years ago. The horse stood still with her head lowered as Dedue rubbed his neck. He still didn't seem too fond of animals, but at least he wasn't making them nervous with his obvious discomfort. 

“You excel at this,” Dimitri exaggerated quite a bit, but he was genuinely impressed by the improvement,” will you help me again sometime, Dedue?”

“Naturally,” Dedue replied. 

Dimitri didn't fail to notice a hint of a smile on Dedue’s face. Such a small expression from him was equivalent to a huge grin on someone else’s face. Dimitri cherished these small moments. 

They worked in comfortable silence. As they were very familiar with each other's working habits, they managed to finish the work in record time.

**Author's Note:**

> I have not met a horse in a decade.


End file.
